Kindred Spirits
by Kristonio
Summary: A/U B/V Vegeta leaves Vegetasai after a fight with his father and takes to wandering the universe. He eventually ends up on the worthless planet of Chickyuu, but will he find what he has secretly been looking for? No Freeza in this timeline, and the Z
1. Default Chapter

"You worthless brat! You dare to defy my wishes?! I know you think you are above me and already worthy of the crown I wear, but you are still a boy, not a man! A weak, arrogant fool who knows nothing about the responsibilities of the throne! You must comply with my demands!!!"  
Vegeta's ears rung from the loud scolding he'd just received, but he ignored the pain as the rage he felt in his chest spread, making his head throb and his blood boil red before his eyes. He could just barely see the regal form sitting in front of him, but the poorly defined silhouette only increased the intensities of his emotions. He would remain calm and passive. He would not allow this poor excuse for a king and father to break his warrior concentration and send him into a maniacal tirade.  
"A boy am I?" spoke the cold form that was the warrior prince of Vegeitasai. His tone was dangerously slow and controlled, filled with poison and unspoken threats. "I should have challenged your sorry ass for the chair you sit in now 5 years ago, but I was as I am now, not interested in wasting my time ruling a planet while I might instead be training. You should be grateful my ambitions of power have not yet demanded for your execution my King!" The last word was uttered with dripping sarcasm leaving the Old Vegeta in no doubt of his son's meaning.  
The aged and twisted monarch sat forward slightly in his throne and quickly swept a scrutinizing glance over the hard and unreadable being that was his only offspring. The 21 year old was at the peak of physical shape and health, full of strength and vigor that he himself had recently felt missing from his own aging body. And perhaps more amazing, the king sensed untapped resources in that brat of his. Perhaps the Legend would be fulfilled in him, the Holy Grail of his people that he remembered with pointed jealousy, he could not fulfil in his own time. The cruel eyes that gazed defiantly back at him warned him of the danger he was constantly in with a mature heir living in his palace. The king revealed nothing while making these observations, except an almost undetectable tic of his eye, betraying momentarily his outrage and deeply hidden fear concerning his son. Oh yes, he would have to watch him more closely from now on. This open defiance of his was increasing in frequency.  
"Your reign my Prince would reveal your own ineptitude. The planet would fall from your control to outside threats caused by your diplomatic deficiencies. It is vitally important that you attend these meetings tomorrow so that you can experience foreign policy for yourself. A totalitarian government at home may work fine while the ruler remains uncompromisingly in control, but you cannot hope to exert such force on the entire universe at once. To conquer, you must also possess a shrewd nature. Trickery and deception can in certain circumstances, get you farther than brute force."  
The young Vegeta swept his own calculating glance over his father. Although middle-aged, with slight signs of gray at the temples, his father was still a vision of tight-fisted authority and power. Unflinching in any scenario, the king still appeared as arrogant, confident, and demanding as he did in his younger days of glory. But the father had long ago lost the respect of his son. Vegeta knew the slight hunch of the shoulders, convulsive gripping of the hand, and almost undetectable facial twitch were signs his father was becoming weaker mentally as he was physically. He was secretly losing his edge, exerting more caution, when 20 years ago the same saiyin would have opted for calculated risk. In a challenge, the King would still prove difficult to kill, but Vegeta knew he would succeed.  
His thoughts briefly turned to the possibility of ruling the Sayain Empire. He had told his father the truth; Vegeta enjoyed his long private days of training with his squad members and the occasional missions that took him on adventures from home. A small smirk played around his thin mouth as he reflected on the glorious days he had floated above heated battles. He relished the smell of blood and sweat, the adrenaline coursing through his body as he experienced violence, chaos, destruction, and death firsthand. But now his father had the audacity to take his routine from him! He had no use for anything beyond the battlefield. The thought of wasting his time in monotonous diplomatic meetings enraged him once again. He would not submit to this!  
"I don't care if you think this is important old man! I will not cut out valuable training time for me or my men for the sake of your silly whims!" scorned Vegeta.  
"Fine, I see you have made your final decision boy! From now on your men are no longer your concern. You are stripped of your command of the elite royal squad until you bend to your father's silly whims!" retorted back the King.  
Vegeta thought he would explode from rage. He could feel himself losing control.  
"HOW DARE YOU!" shouted the Prince. "How DARE you shame my name with such an insult! I will not be humbled you decrepit old man! If you persist in smearing my honored name and career then I will leave this instant. Abandoning my luxuries here as Prince is better than selling my honor!"  
Deep down Vegeta wondered if it was. He had grudgingly complied to his father before in certain matters. Why couldn't he do it now? Maybe he was too restless. He hadn't been on a good purging mission in months, and part of him wished to experience fighting without the aid of his fellow warriors. It was this part of Vegeta that won out in the end. His arrogance could not be dominated or intimidated. He knew he was powerful and returning home after a fulfilling reign of terror would release the tension he was now feeling, as well as stroke his enormous ego.  
Surprise shown in the King's eyes for a brief second followed by a malicious glare. He would grant the boy's impulsive wish. His son would venture out full of confidence and would return bemused and mystified by his experience. Against standard Saiyan philosophy, the wiser king knew there were beings out there stronger than his son and their race. He prayed silently he would encounter such life forms and return humbled and confused by the foreign ways of the universe.  
"So be it," spoke the king in a calm yet malevolent voice. "You will leave almost immediately in your personal ship. Take what goods you may need for as long as you think you might be gone, but you are allowed no companions. Now be gone from my sight. You may only return on your knees, ready and willing to listen to your wiser father.  
A mixture of anger, surprise, and excitement coursed through Vegeta's mind at once. He was going off on his own like he had so recently desired, but his father's tone and easy manner enraged and disturbed him. What did he suppose would happen to him? Did he honestly think the Prince could be defeated by another and then return a humbled boy? Hah! The thought was laughable, but it angered him that his father would even entertain such thoughts. He would have the last laugh and return a seasoned explorer and executor of chaos and terror! 


	2. Kindred Spirits Ch2

A/N: I don't own these characters.by the way this disclaimer should also apply to the first chapter, I forgot about it. In this A/U I chose to omit the Freeza character.I thought the conflict between Bulma and Vegeta would provide enough drama. Besides I think we're all sick of the plot line of the evil blue alien who forces the two antagonists to work together to save Vegetasai.anway enjoy my fanfic!  
  
"AHHHH!" Bulma jumped back about three feet in surprise and pain. Dammit! She'd done it again. Lost in her own thoughts, the foremost technical genius had crossed the wrong wires and given herself a wake-up electrical shock. What was wrong with her?  
Wiping the sweat and grease from her hands and forehead with an already grimy rag, Bulma Breifs surveyed the results of her morning's labors. The supposed ki enhancer she was inventing was so far nothing but a mess of wires and circuits. She'd been planning and dreaming this new idea for two years now and had just recently completed her blue prints for the project. On paper, the body plate was a technical wonder. Designed to redirect the wearer's energy in amplified form back through the body, it was a testimony to Bulma's creativity and skill. Off the paper, she discouragingly realized, it was nothing more than a mess. The theory behind the ki enhancer would not work in real life as long as she had only the circuits in front of her to work with. They simply would not be able to handle the energy that would be pulsating from her machine back into the warrior's body. With a certain nostalgic feeling, Bulma reflected on the motivation behind her project. She had spent a lifetime witnessing her home threatened by evil invaders and would-be destroyers. Goku had always been able to pull off a stunning, last minute victory, but the other Z-fighters often ended up as crippled casualties. Her mind then turned to Yamcha. She had been with the ex-desert bandit for 4 years now, but she had already had her share of grief and worry. While brave and cunning in battle, Yamcha lacked the ki to compete in the same league as Goku and some of their recent adversaries. She desperately wanted to protect him, and while he would scorn her feelings, she knew this new invention could be a solution. What Bulma did not readily admit to herself was that deep down, her relationship with the Z-fighter had been slowly sinking into indifference. Because he was her first love, and they been together for what the 19 year old considered a long time, Bulma could not let go of Yamcha. This invention was a subconscious way for her to ease her guilt. The lack of passion in her heart only fueled her passion for work even more. She WOULD make the stupid thing work, both the ki enhancer and her failing relationship.  
As Bulma once again threw herself into her project, her stubbornness and pride surfaced, giving her the necessary will power to continue working through lunch. The girl after all had grown up the only child of a wealthy and brilliant inventor, to become at such a young age, a VP of her father's corporation as well as its chief scientist. She had completed high school and college all before her 17th birthday, and thus alienated herself from her peers. She was all that could be expected of someone of her background; on the surface she was arrogant and willful, while deep down she was insecure and lonely. Bulma plodded on determinedly with her work in her workshop at the Breif family mansion, while an equally arrogant and stubborn Prince boarded his ship for the adventure of a lifetime. Vegeta knew how to operate his ship, but with some trepidation, he realized that if he ran into trouble, he could not hope to repair it. The warrior Prince sat in the pilot's ship of his large, yet still modest intergallatic ship, staring vaguely at the controls in front of him. He suddenly realized he was pausing. His cargo was loaded and the ship fueled and yet he was sitting here pausing. Was he sure this was the best course of action? Suddenly snapping back to reality, the Prince roughly grabbed the controls and prepared for take-off. Armed with his characteristic smirk, Vegeta planned the havoc he would wreak on the unsuspecting universe. 


	3. Kindred Spirits Ch 3

A/N Hmm my last chapter was probably too short, but to be fair it was late when I wrote it, plus I'm just setting up exposition anyway! Hope you aren't bored yet, it's my first fanfic, so I'm trying my best. Same thing as last time, I don't own Dragon Ball Z or any of its characters. Enjoy!  
  
Vegeta sat on the floor of the training room of his ship lost in meditation. He was supposed to be void of all thought, focusing on controlling his emotions, but random threads of consciousness kept floating through his brain.  
Over the past month, Vegeta had experienced what he would call a string of successes. The first unknown planet he came to had been the first victim of his uncontrolled battle lust. He relived the mass hysteria and blood over and over again. The looks of pure terror in the eyes of the inhabitants before he mercilessly blew off their limbs with carefully aimed ki beams brightened his day. Of course, he reminded himself, he did it for their own good. It was his responsibility to rid the universe of weak species to make room for the stronger ones, such as the Sayians, to expand. Hah! Those life forms had been so weak, he didn't understand why they had been so desperate to cling to their miserable lives in the first place. If he had been cursed with such a frail shell of a body, he would have ended his shame and thrown himself off a cliff!  
Vegeta's meditation, or lack thereof, was suddenly brought to a ear- splitting stop as his ship violently lurched and shuddered in accordance with the sound of the hull being torn right off the ship's frame. In an instant, Vegeta was flying swiftly through the small corridors of his ship to the pilot's cabin to find out what the hell had just happened.  
One swift glance out the front window and another across the radar showed a large unknown warship had sent a missile hurtling into the port side of his ship. Shock was Vegeta's first reaction. He was the most powerful being in the universe and he was trapped like a rat on a sinking ship within his space cruiser. Like most beings, he could not survive in space; he needed a breathable atmosphere. Therefore, it dawned on him, he needed his vessel intact. Dammit! He would not be defeated by life forms who were likely physically weaker than he. But contrary to every one of his prideful fibers, his ship's weapons were damaged beyond repair at the moment. He would have to run for it.  
The Prince's mind snapped into action. He needed a nearby habital planet, preferably somewhere he could fix his ship as well. His computer, though also damaged by the blast, still worked long enough to give him the coordinates of a planet that fit his requirements. He looked at the data with momentary disgust. Chikyuu, a mudball of a planet housed practically ki-less beings for inhabitants. His thoughts, however, were once again interrupted by another shot from the battleship.  
Switching the controls to manual pilot, Vegeta prepared to enter Chikyuu's atmosphere. One crash landing coming right up!  
Bulma was outside walking the grounds of the Breif family mansion, staring mindlessly at the scenery around her. Her eyes did not focus on the well kept landscaping, but looked inward at her own broken heart. She and Yamcha had broken up.  
They had been out to dinner at one of her favorite fancy restaurants when the already bad conversation had lulled into uncomfortable silence.  
"Is there something wrong," asked Yamcha in a quiet tentative voice.  
"Oh no, the food's delicious!" answered an overly enthusiastic Bulma.  
"No, that's not what I meant," replied Yamcha. "I mean with us in general. Why has it been so hard lately finding things to do and talk about? Why has the relationship suddenly become so.."  
"Tedious," answered a saddened Bulma.  
"Yeah." Yamcha spoke. "I mean we've been together for so long I kinda thought it should be magical by now. We should be making wedding plans or something but instead we've grown apart."  
"Oh Yamcha, I never wanted this to happen! I've felt that way for a while now but I guess I just wanted it to last as long as possible. What are we going to do?" Tears ran down the soft porcelain skin of Bulma's face. She felt helpless, swimming in a violently churning sea of emotion and regret. They had been together so long she didn't know what it felt like to be apart.  
As Bulma thought again of that night for the hundreth time, fresh tears once more sprang to her eyes. It had been two weeks and the pain was still fresh. But maybe more disturbing was the fact, her life had changed little since their breakup. The idea that there had been so little between them at the end added more pain to her heart. Together for four years and the end had happened to suddenly and so completely! There had been no fighting or yelling, just a simple conversation that brought their romantic involvement to a simple end. She really needed something to take her mind off her failed love life.  
As if in answer to her silent wish, a streak of burning light raced across the sky in front of her followed by a ground-shaking boom. The unidentified object then crashed right in the middle of a magnificent rosebush, catching the once beautiful bit of landscaping on fire.  
"What in the FUCK just happened," was the only cohesive thought her stunned brain could form. 


	4. Kindred Spirits Chapter 4

A/N Hey again! Well thanks so much to Sio who was my first review! It was mentioned I need to change my personal settings or something to make reviewing easier, well you can do it the formal way or email me at nienna18@yahoo.com  
  
I need to make these chapters longer I know, but for me it just makes more sense to keep them simple and direct.writing in spurts makes more sense for me. Well excuses aren't good enough so I'm gonna try harder! Anyway I hope this chapter comes out really good because it is the first interaction between the two future love birds! Disclaimer: I don't own jack! Enjoy the fanfic people!  
  
It took the totally stunned Bulma a couple minutes to realize that the close proximity of the crash-landed object had blown her off her feet and she was now sprawled out on her butt right in the middle of a shrubbery. As the fire consuming the rose bush died down, Bulma got her first look at the thing that had fallen from the sky to land so suddenly in the middle of her lawn.  
  
About as large as a small house, Bulma was shocked the thing hadn't made a crater right in the middle of the yard. She picked herself up and slowly stepped closer to the object, her senses telling her to be weary of ANYTHING that fell so unceremoniously from the sky.  
  
Bulma really couldn't see the object very well because the air around her was still hazy from the smoke produced from the fire. Her eyes started to water and breathing became slightly more difficult as she creeped nearer and nearer to the object. All she could hear was her blood pounding in her ears from anticipation. Her intuition told her this "thing" was going to have a profound effect on her life forever.  
  
Vegeta awoke in a tangled mess on the floor of his pilot's cabin. He groggily raised his head looking for something to jog his memory. "What the hell happened," he groaned. A look out the cracked windshield of his spacecraft told him he had landed. Now where had he been going?  
  
He pulled himself up off the floor slowly, testing all his joints, muscles, and bones searching for any possible injury. With grim satisfaction he discovered he had only sustained a few bruises, thanks to his strong Saiyan physique. He made his way over to his computer. Miraculously, it still functioned, the screen displaying his present coordinates. Hmmm, now he remembered.  
  
Vegeta's scowl deepened as the memory of that blasted star cruiser damaging his ship and then his own forced landing on this mudball planet. GAHHH, his characteristic rage flowed through his veins, making his head throb. Oh that did hurt. He needed to calm down and allow his few minor injuries to heal. It wouldn't take long. Because Sayains had always been a warrior race, they healed very quickly. Well, he might as well take a look around the planet. The quicker he found a way to repair his ship, the quicker he was to finding that star cruiser and exacting his revenge. The promise of bloodshed helped to improve his mood as he stepped carefully to the emergency exit door.  
  
At first, all Vegeta could see of the planet was haze and smoke, but soon his eyes adjusted and a smooth breeze swept through, carrying much of the smoke with it. As his vision cleared, Vegeta gazed around but suddenly spotted a female figure about 20 yards in front of him. Oh my God he had never seen anything as beautiful as that creature before him! His onyx eyes widened briefly in surprise and awe as he took in the blue hair, porcelain skin, graceful curves, gorgeous face, and wide azure eyes. Even from a distance he noticed they were full of tears from the acrid smoke and shined and sparkled different shades of blue with the added moisture. The same breeze that carried the smoke away made her sky blue sun dress billow behind her, pressing the garment against her body and revealing every slope and curve. Vegeta, for a small moment, thought he could stare at her forever, but then the goddess opened her mouth.  
  
"Who the HELL are you and what are you doing on my lawn!" screamed the woman.  
  
The Prince quickly came to his senses and remembered his purpose on landing on the planet. Before the woman had time to react, he was directly in front of her with his hand wrapped firmly around her throat.  
  
Bulma's eyes widened in shock. She was surprised and somewhat fearful of his speed and forcefulness, but wasn't yet aware that he was anything but human, although a strange sexy one. Even as she had looked upon him as he first exited his vehicle, she had noticed his strong, muscular body and penetrating eyes. He had stared at her with them until she had come to her senses and yelled at him from across the yard.  
  
"Onna," Vegeta stated with his most menacing tone of voice, "you will take me to someone who can repair my ship or I will snap your throat!"  
  
Vegeta silently thought to himself that he would never be able to harm the delicate creature in his hands. His was an empty threat, but his pride and ambition subdued his uncharacteristic adoration and hurried him to business. He needed an engineer to fix his ship and then he would consider what to do with the onna. She was even more stunning up close and he cursed himself for wearing gloves, desiring instead to feel her smooth skin.  
  
Bulma cleared her throat in nervousness, hoping he got the hint he was holding her a little too tightly. "I am an engineer, however I don't see why I should help such a rude person as yourself. Death threats aren't the greatest motivation you know. What if after I fix your ship you decide to kill me anyway?"  
  
Hoping to stall him until some sort of help arrived, Bulma opened her mouth to continue talking but was shocked into silence when she spotted a brown furry tail waving behind the strange man.  
  
"You have a TAIL!" she whispered.  
  
"Hmm you noticed," said Vegeta.  
  
Bulma's mind raced into overdrive. Goku had a tail and she had long ago realized he wasn't human. This man holding her around her neck was not human either and he had landed on her lawn in what she now recognized as a spaceship. ALIENS! They were ALIENS! Oh no, if Goku and this man were of the same species, then it was entirely possible he possessed the same strength as his Chikyuu counterpart. Even if a gardener or some other employee of Capsule Corp. happened by, they would be as helpless now as she. In her panic Bulma stuttered, "Puh puh please.don't hurt me!"  
  
"Onna," Vegeta responded with some impatience, "if you are indeed who you claim to be and can fix my vessel quickly then I will leave you unharmed and will be on my way!" For some reason, Vegeta didn't like seeing her afraid. He found it very strange that normally he received such an adrenaline rush when terrorizing others, feeding off their fear and pain like a drug, but with this woman, he only wanted to see her smile. Perhaps a lustful smile as she wrapped her ivory arms around his neck and brought her full red lips up to his face and.NO! He would control his thoughts! Vegeta tried to master his mind. His fantasies had almost driven him past self-control. Having the onna close to him was arousing enough without thinking about the possibilities of closer contact. He couldn't reveal this weakness to her or anyone else.  
  
"Are you sure you can fix my ship?" smirked Vegeta. "You are after all just a female and you could by lying to save your own ass."  
  
By this time Bulma was seething. Her ferocious temper was rising to the surface, making her blood hot, her skin flushed, and the world swim before her eyes.  
  
"How DARE you!" screamed the enraged scientist. "I'll have you know you worthless piece of trash, that I happen to be the most brilliant and acclaimed engineer on the planet!"  
  
"Well I guess we'll just have to see about that won't we," replied an amused Prince. He normally would have vaporized anyone who would insult him so, but he found the emotional outburst from the onna attractive. It was much better than having her quake beneath him with fear. Her rage had flushed her skin with color and her eyes had changed color to a deep blue/lavender. Even her voice, although loud to his sensitive hearing, conveyed her strong personality. She was enchanting.  
  
Vegeta abruptly released her from his grasp and took a step back.  
  
"Lead on onna, I want this done quickly," Vegeta said while motioning her to take him to her facilities.  
  
Bulma stood up straighter and without a word stalked angrily toward her own personal lab, chin raised haughtily in the air, long blue hair swaying behind her. Her confident exterior hid a turbulent interior however. She wasn't sure if she could really just fix his space ship and then be rid of him forever, or if he posed some sort of threat. Her only hope if she or the planet was in danger was Goku. Perhaps if this man had a strong ki, Goku would sense him and arrive in time to rescue her. She silently prayed for his assistance. She was too young and beautiful to die.  
  
A/N- Ok this may not be the best place to stop but I'm gonna anyway. Sorry this chapter took so long to get up but I'm having to make some hard plot choices. I had several ideas for how this story could go so I've been sorting them out. Next chapter, Vegeta tries to get closer to Bulma (not yet physically you hentais!) and Goku comes investigating. How will Vegeta react when he discovers the long lost Kakarott is alive and as strong as he. 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Well I thought the last chapter turned out fairly well and I'm hoping this one will too! Hey thanks to all those who reviewed my story. So far all I've heard is positive feedback other than the fact that my chapters are so short. Don't worry guys! I'm updating faster than you think. I've been waiting forever for Finding Venus and Danger in the Horizon to finish! Not much else to say other than I don't own DBZ or the characters. Enjoy the chapter!  
  
Son Goku was outside his rural house with his friend Piccolo training his only son Gohan on the morning Vegeta's ship landed at Capsule Corp. As the good-natured Saiyan and the moody but well-meaning Namek put the young boy through a challenging workout, the Prince's spacecraft streaked across the sky followed by the same boom Bulma heard on her own lawn.  
  
"Wha." Goku turned to look up right as his son shot at him, leg outstretched for a punishing kick to the face.  
"AHHHHH," screamed the little half Saiyan as his foot unexpectedly connected with his father's head. "Owww! Wow, Gohan that actually hurt!" Goku momentarily forgot the UFO he had just seen in surprise of his son's growing strength. "You're really getting good kiddo!" The 5-year old laughed with joy, basking in the praise his father had just given him. It was obvious the child idolized his dad.  
  
"But what was that?!" said a now half-serious Goku as he gazed once again up at the sky.  
"I'm not sure but I saw it too," commented the always-focused Namek.  
  
Suddenly all three warriors tensed as they felt an enormous power level coming from the direction of where the flying object had disappeared. "Oh Kami! Piccolo did you feel that? It's as strong as I am. And coming from Capsule Corp.!!!"  
"I think Goku, another challenge has come upon us. It is too bad we didn't see it coming, but we had better go and investigate. This could be very very bad," said Piccolo.  
"You're right. You stay here and watch over Gohan and Chi Chi and I'll go take a look around. We don't know what this thing or person is and right now I stand the best chance if it means any harm." Goku looked at the Namek with a serious gaze, his usually mirthful, child- like expression turned grave. He never looked more adult as he did then. Piccolo nodded his head in agreement as Goku took off at a hurried pace, his fear for Bulma pushing him on faster. All he could think about was his long-time friend. If anything happened to her, he swore he would revenge her in a heartbeat. Goku's flight didn't take longer than a few minutes, but to him it lasted an agonizingly slow period. All the warrior could do was worry about his friend, his family, and the planet if he somehow could not defeat the invader. But as the Saiyan landed not far from Vegeta's space ship, his resolve firmed. He would hope for the best. Goku's natural optimism and determination took over his usually spastic brain, readying him for a potential fight with the new arrival.  
After a very quick yet thorough search of the area surrounding the ship, Goku identified Bulma's scent as well as another whose origin was a mystery to him one. The smell he detected that belonged to his blue-haired friend was tainted with fear and anxiety while he noticed the other odor was reeking of general excitement probably triggered by an adrenaline rush. These were not very promising signs. Goku followed the scent trails to the Brief family mansion and then veered off toward the small separate building that was Bulma's private laboratory.  
Now on full alert, Goku stalked swiftly yet quietly to the front entrance. He silently thanked Kami he had had the sense to shield his ki as he flew towards Capsule Corp. If this new creature was truly dangerous, Goku needed the element of surprise; if he could burst in undetected, then he might stand a chance of destroying the beast before it had an opportunity to harm Bulma.  
With senses knife sharp from anticipation, Goku readied himself to barrel into the lab. With a forceful shove from his shoulder, Goku tore the metal door off its hinges. Even as the wrecked sheet of steel fell to the floor, Goku used his super-speed to charge in and grab a man with similar coloring as himself but with shorter stature. His surprise attack, however, hadn't helped too much because his opponent had lightning-fast reflexes; the man had an equally strong hold on Goku's shoulders. The two warriors now indulged in a staring competition, each sizing up the other for strengths and weaknesses.  
  
Vegeta had been following the exotic Chikyuu woman around her lab as she pointed out various inventions, describing what they did and for what purpose. Occasionally she gave demonstrations if the Prince expressed some sort of confusion in response to her explanations. In reality, Vegeta had been on auto-pilot, appearing to be listening when all he could think about were the ivory curves and blue hair in front of him. He didn't really need to listen anyway. Before she had shown him in to her lab, he had been convinced she was telling the truth. He wasn't sure why though. Normally he was very untrusting, often to the point of paranoia, but with her he had looked into her eyes as he was gripping her around the neck and knew she was being honest. It was very strange, but he wasn't complaining. Everything about the onna intrigued him so much that he felt like he wanted to think and contemplate her for the rest of his life. Deep down, his voice of reason was screaming at him that this couldn't be natural, that she was some sort of witch who had fogged his brain with an enchantment, but at the moment, he didn't care. For the first time in the proud, indomitable Prince's existence, Vegeta felt the urge to be subdued and tamed by the creature in front of him, and he liked the feeling.  
  
In contrast to the Prince's daydreams, Bulma was very much in tune with her surroundings. Her fear and barely contained panic made the adrenaline pump through her body. Her heart was pounding in an almost painful manner, but the added hormone increased her senses and quickened her thought processes. A million different plans of escape rushed through her genius brain, but she dismissed all of them. As inventive as her mind was, she couldn't think of one thing that could get her out of her predicament other than Goku. Bulma was even more frustrated when unwelcome thoughts kept creeping into her head.  
"Oh God, if I die, all my friends and family will be heartbroken! Oh Goku would never forgive himself and I don't think Yamcha would either. After all, we are still friends. This guy behind me is much better looking than him though. His muscles are bigger and those eyes are so sexy..NO! What are you doing Bulma?! He could kill you at any second and all you can think about is how attractive he is! Ugh!"  
  
It was at that moment that Goku burst through the lab door. Bulma's head whipped around to see who the intruder was only to see her best friend and her captor, hands locked on each others' shoulders and eyes focused in an even deadlier gaze. At almost the same time, both warriors asked, "Who are you!!" Goku almost immediately responded with "You will let Bulma go." Vegeta was filled with an almost instantaneous rage and jealousy. This man knew the onna and, what's more, he knew her name. He hadn't asked her her name yet because he had been too busy savoring her presence, but now this clown had shown up and revealed it in an abrupt manner. He knew the minute he set eyes on the beauty he wanted her to be his, and his alone. Everything about her he desired to own, and for another male to even say her name almost pushed him over the edge of control. He wanted to howl in rage. Vegeta did however, manage to control his blood lust and spit out "Who are you to order the Prince of Saiyans around?" His tone was filled with hatred and loathing.  
Goku blinked in surprise. He wasn't familiar with the word "saiyan" but at the mention of prince, Goku instantly understood. Everything so far about this man screamed arrogance and pride. It made sense he was indeed royalty of some kind. "Prince or no Prince, I will not allow you to harm my friend. Now let her go!" To add emphasis to his words, Goku started powering up even more.  
Several thoughts ran through Vegeta's head at this moment. First, the Saiyan language did not have a translation for "friend" but the Prince knew the connotations, all of which did not include romantic involvement. Some of Vegeta's jealousy subsided at this information. His next thought revolved around the man in front of him. He could not be human because his quickly elevating ki was much too enormous for any weak Chikyuu native. Even though this male did not have a tail, his coloring and strength identified him as a Saiyan. How could he have gotten here? His mind instantly fixed on the name of a MIA Saiyan child who had been sent on a purging mission to this area some time ago. Kakarott. Hmmm, something made Vegeta keep from revealing this information to the newly found Saiyan warrior in front of him. He would deal with that issue later.  
"I notice you are also a warrior," Vegeta said in response to Kakarott's threat. "I am here because my ship malfunctioned and I needed someone to repair it. This onna was going to help me."  
Goku broke the staring competition to look over the Prince's shoulder at Bulma, searching for the truth.  
"It is true Goku," Bulma stated. "He said if I fixed his ship he would leave me and the planet unharmed, although he did threaten me if I refused my cooperation." Bulma stated fairly bitterly.  
Despite what Vegeta's father had told him about needing to learn how to be shrewd and diplomatic, the Prince already possessed talents in these areas, however he only applied them when the incentive was strong. He wanted this onna, but Kakarott's ki level and loyalty were standing in his way. He was also interested in finding out how strong this Chikyuu-raised Saiyan really was.  
"Goku is your name?" asked a fairly sarcastic Vegeta, "Well, Goku, I want to make a deal with you. I want to fight you in combat. If I win then the onna will repair my ship and come with me when I depart."  
"What!!" both a surprised Goku and Bulma shouted. Goku was doing some quick evaluation. He had sensed the Prince's ki level and it was equal to his own. That meant he had a gamble to make. If he fought the man, they each had an equal chance of winning.  
"Fine Prince, but if I win, Bulma fixes your ship and you leave without her, never to return here again. OK?"  
Since arrogance seemed to be Vegeta's dominant characteristic, the Prince nodded his head, already silently congratulating himself on a brilliant although hard won success.  
  
"What the FUCK do you two chauvinistic, testosterone riddled men think you are doing?!!! I am NOT some prize for you two assholes to barter over! Screw you guys, I refuse to participate in this!" screeched an enraged Bulma.  
"Bulma! Stay out of this! You don't understand how dangerous this could get," spoke a deadly serious Goku.  
Bulma was shocked at Goku's tone. He was only this adult and serious when the situation itself was serious. She gulped down a nasty retort. She must really be in danger then.  
By this time, both warriors' grips on each other were stronger than ever. The room was dripping with intensity as each man attempted to stare down the other, willing the opponent to reveal weakness in the eyes or a nervous twitch of the hand.  
"Are you ready then Goku!" Vegeta spoke his name with venomous sarcasm. This pathetic foe of his obviously thought he belonged to this weak race of humans. He showed no real characteristics of a Saiyan, instead revealing emotion and compassion. Hmph, he would definitely enjoy pummeling this poor excuse for a Saiyan warrior into the dirt.  
  
A/N: Well this just got really interesting didn't it! In the next chapter Vegeta and Goku do battle as a terrified Bulma watches. Who will win the fight and what will happen to Bulma? You'll have to wait and see! Thanks again for the reviews but I would really like some new ones too! Might give me an extra incentive to get the next chapter up in a hurry! *wink wink hint hint* Until next time! 


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Ok, thanks for the reviews guys! It's nice to know people are actually reading this and liking it. Some people mentioned they wanted Vegeta to win and although I am a Vegeta fan myself, I have other plans for this plot! Hehe. Just a quick note.I like to read a lot of fanfiction and after finishing a very very angst-riddled story, I'd just like to say mine will not end painfully. Don't get me wrong, a story is boring when it's too Cinderella. You need pain to make the good parts better. But I really don't appreciate having my emotions raped and beaten to death, which happens so often in angst fictions. So I hope you sleep well at night knowing I will not kill off major characters just to provoke a reaction! Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or its characters, nor do I make a profit from this work of fiction.  
  
Bulma stood out in the middle of nowhere with a pair of binoculars, which were pointed high up into the air, uselessly attempting to follow the battle above. After the two "testosterone-riddled" warriors had agreed upon the terms of the fight they had been eager to fly off to a remote location and begin to pummel each other's brains out. Bulma had adamantly insisted in coming with them despite Goku's protests that she could get hurt. The hot-headed woman however, had countered that she would not wait quietly at home while two hairless monkeys decided her fate. This had seemed to slightly offend the Prince, but his small look of shock was quickly replaced with his characteristic smirk and furrowed eyebrows.  
  
Every so often Bulma would be able to catch a glimpse of the two Saiyans high in the air, but normally they moved too fast for her human eyes to follow the match. Really, the only time she did see one of the warriors was when the other managed to land a punishing blow, sending the other hurtling to the ground, creating large craters in the side of cliffs or the earth. Whichever one landed would pick themselves up, search the horizon for their opponent, and then take off again in a blur. At first, Bulma had been so absorbed in the match she hadn't realized she would tense up every time either of the Saiyans fell, but as the hours dragged by, the scientist noticed she felt equally anxious for both warriors. It was a strange feeling, and to the analytical Bulma, its irrationality was disquieting. Why should she flinch every time the brutal Prince took one to the gut? Why did she hold her breath when the Saiyan smashed into the earth, worried that this time he might not get back up? Why did she keep catching herself silently rooting the warrior on? The more these unbidden urges came upon her, the angrier Bulma became until her eyes were a deep sapphire color, snapping and sparkling from the intensity of her emotions. She would NOT listen to this! She did NOT want the Prince to win and have him take her into space with him like some sort of tournament prize! Although she was equally worried about her long-time friend Goku, she had watched him battle in dangerous situations before and almost took for granted his almost routine victories. She did react every time Son Kun suffered a serious blow, but mostly her thoughts kept reverting back to the Prince. Shockingly, she didn't even know monkey-man's name!  
  
While Bulma was on the ground fighting her own internal battle, Vegeta was still up in the air, occupied with his own fight. This Kakarott was proving more difficult to kill than he had first imagined, although his pride still gave him hope that he would eventually crush this Chikyuu- softened excuse for a Saiyan. Eventually. That is, if he didn't wear out before then. They had been fighting for three hours at least and they seemed to be evenly matched. After the usual ritual of insults, taunts, and bluffs that precede almost every battle, Vegeta and Goku had started fighting cautiously, holding back at first while they tested one another out for noticeable strengths and weaknesses. They started with simple physical combat while levitating in the air. Vegeta had initiated the fight with a quick punch to Goku's face, only to be blocked by his arm. Then Goku countered with a knee thrust upward, intending to catch the Prince's gut, but he missed as Vegeta phased out and then back in behind Kakarott. The match continued with both fighters managing to land only a few blows apiece while their others were successfully blocked. The battle then escalated to ki blasts with much the same results as the physical attacks. After this, both Saiyans became frustrated they were making so little headway and the battle escalated in intensity and violence. Every move suddenly became legal as they both fought desperately, trying to do some damage before they lost all their energy. With ki blasts flying in every direction and punches and kicks moving so fast only the Saiyans could see them, Vegeta had little time to notice Bulma's reactions. He did however, send quick glances her way the few times Goku knocked him out of the air and he crashed into the ground. Before he would take off, he would swiftly look at the blue-haired vixen and with some surprise, she seemed to be looking concerned about him. He could see her flinch a little as he stood back up carefully and her deep azure eyes spoke of concern and worry. He didn't have the faintest clue why she felt this way, after all she had heard him propose to take her with him in space and he didn't think kidnapping to be something she would approve of. But Vegeta really didn't have much time to ponder these new things as he would take off quickly to reenter the fight, shoving thoughts of her out of his mind for the moment so he could fully concentrate on the battle.  
  
At last, as the sun threatened to throw the Saiyans into darkness as it descended over the horizon, both warriors seemed to lose the will to fight. Not only had they been fighting for 6 hours straight with no breaks or food, but each had sustained the same amount of damage.  
  
Bulma, who was pretty bored at this time even though she knew the fight would determine her future, perked up when she saw the two land on the ground. The young woman ran over to the two heavily panting Saiyans.  
"What happened? I didn't see anyone win. Why are you two stopping?" asked a breathless Bulma. Vegeta, staring intently at Goku but with a hint of respect shining in his eyes answered, "Well neither of us seems to be able to win." The Prince kept a note of annoyance in his voice, but in reality, he realized he had never had a better workout. However, he didn't think he could go on any further, and from the looks of it, Kakarott didn't look too good either.  
"Yeah," said Goku, "we are just too evenly matched and I don't think we can keep fighting anymore. How about it Prince? Tie?" Goku held out his hand.  
"Hmmmm," growled Vegeta. His pride kept him from sticking out his hand, screaming at him that the Prince of all Saiyans did not tie with anyone, but Vegeta was no fool and he knew they could not finish the fight.  
"Alright fool! It's an even match. You should feel honored I conceded to this rather than finish pummeling you with my fists," smirked an ever arrogant Vegeta. "But that does not solve the problem of our agreement. We need to renegotiate the terms."  
Goku looked a little confused at first by the Prince's vocabulary, but seemed to catch the general meaning.  
"Umm, well I suppose Bulma should still fix your ship since we both agreed on that before the fight, but you can't take her with you into space because you didn't win."  
"Yes warrior, but you also did not win so she can't stay here with you either. After repairing my ship, the onna will accompany me for 10 Chikyuu years, and then I will return her here."  
"WHAT!" screeched an indignant Bulma. "I don't WANT to go with you, you ANIMAL! I am my own person and I refuse to be tossed around and traded!"  
Goku flinched at the volume of Bulma's voice, but continued on with the negotiations, trying to ignore Bulma until they could reach an agreement. "Look, that's way too long Prince. One year would be more reasonable.  
"Four," countered Vegeta.  
"Two," responded Goku.  
"FUCK YOU BOTH!" screamed an enraged Bulma. She lunged at Vegeta, attempting to beat him to death with her small fists, but the very amused Saiyan only caught her wrists with one hand and snaked his other arm around her waist, bringing her close against his body. Goku looked a little confused by this move but flared his now weakened ki to suggest to the Prince that it would still be a bad idea to hurt her. Vegeta, although never intending to hurt her in the first place, still took the hint and only held her firmly against him as she thrashed wildly about, trying to get free from the barbarian that held her captive.  
  
"Fine warrior," replied Vegeta, "She will travel with me for two years, but know this, I will return after that to finish what we started today and I will win!"  
"Prince, you must give me your word that you will not harm Bulma in anyway while she is under your care. If you do not return, or she is hurt when you do, I will hunt you down and take revenge for her," stated a deadly serious Goku.  
"I give you my solemn word of honor as Prince of Vegetasei and an elite Saiyan warrior that I will return the onna in two years time unharmed. Will that do warrior?" spoke an equally serious Vegeta.  
Goku nodded while never taking his piercing stare away from the Prince's eyes.  
  
By this time, Bulma was screaming and howling with frustration, thrashing wildly in Vegeta's arms, yelling obscenities at both fighters in- between pants. She couldn't BELIEVE what was happening to her. She had just been sold into indentured servitude by her best friend to a powerful, maniacal, he-man alien. It was too much for the young woman and she once again screamed at the injustice of it all.  
  
"ONNA!" yelled a highly annoyed Saiyan warrior. "Stop that screaming right now! You sound like a banshee!"  
Bulma whipped around in the Saiyan's arms so that they were now face to face. "Oh I'm SORRY, I guess I'm just supposed to calmly and willingly allow you two psychos to decide my future for me without any input of my own. Well think again mister! I don't care if I have to kick and scream like a 6 year-old girl but I will not be subdued! I refuse to go along with this!" Bulma's eyes were like a blue flame, so intense they threatened to consume the Prince in their raging fire. Her skin was flushed from the exertion and blue strands of hair kept flying around her head from the cool twilight breeze. Oh gods how Vegeta wanted her. He silently admired her resistance and stubborn attitude. With a slight pain of guilt he realized he probably WASN'T being fair to her, but he quickly buried this feeling reminding himself that he was the Prince and since he desired her, he would get what he wanted.  
  
"Hmmph," snorted the Prince, "well since you insist on acting like a stupid brat, then I shall treat you like one. You have exactly one week to repair my ship and pack your things and then we are leaving. If you delay I will not hesitate to punish you. Although I pomised not to physically hurt you, I have other methods for getting what I want." Secretly, Vegeta really didn't have any other tactics besides force. He never needed anything else his whole life besides the threat of violence. But he said all this in such a forceful manner that Bulma widened her eyes in surprise, her imagination obviously scaring her more than any direct threat would.  
  
Goku watched the couple's interaction with a sense of pain. He knew he had failed Bulma and was now sending her into space at great risk, however there was really nothing he could do about it. He silently resolved to talk to Bulma later and see if he could explain the situation fully to her and maybe even obtain her forgiveness. If he, the strongest warrior on the planet could not defeat this adversary, then no one could and she had no other option than to go with the Prince into space.  
  
A/N Ok I KNOW that Goku's character was a little OC but I'm gonna reveal more of his thoughts in the next chapter. You will all get to see how this is affecting him, Bulma, and Vegeta. Also B and V spend a little time together while Bulma repairs the ship. PLEASE review and tell me how I'm doing so far. Oh yeah.I'm a little disappointed with my battle scene but I thought it would be sufficient, I find extensive fight narratives tiresome. I know it wasn't that good so please no flames! 


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Ok, I know this is update is way over due, but the only excuse I can make is writer's block. It happens to the best of us. Thanks for the reviews everyone. I had a reader point out that Vegeta should be stronger because Goku had not yet gone through King Kai's special training. This IS correct and I did write my story in contrast to this on purpose. Take into account that Vegeta has not been under Freeza and we are not sure how good his training on Vegetasei has been. He was born the strongest Saiyan so he has no competition to drive him very far. So far he has encountered no hardships, and so he will not be so much the emotionally unstable Vegeta everyone interprets in their fanfics due to abuse from Freeza, but he is more a spoiled rotten Prince, arrogant, but with a better sense of humor. The only other explanation I can offer is that this story is an A/U and fiction, so I'm altering it! Hope you guys can still hang with it! Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or its characters nor do I make a profit from their use in this story.  
  
Bulma was enraged. Bulma was incensed. Bulma was MAD! The young blue-haired scientist was in her home-away-from-home, her lab and she was practically frothing at the mouth. After that worthless piece of shit Prince had flown her wearily back to Capsule Corp., she had immediately fled to her workspace and started throwing chairs and various mechanical parts around at the walls. For the next hour, the normally mature beyond her years genius threw a tantrum to rival any spoiled six-year-old. Nothing was safe from her wrath. Projects she had been working on for months were demolished in a matter of seconds. Valuable blue-prints were quickly snatched up and shredded in her hands. Bulma was beyond reason, the only thought her possessed mind could hold onto was that horrible alien who was, without her knowledge, standing outside her door, waiting for her adrenaline to dissipate, and with it, her mind-altering anger.  
  
Vegeta had set the onna down near his destroyed space ship and she had promptly run off in the direction of a moderate size building separate from the main complex, hands tangled in her hair, and wild look on her face, and a feral scream errupting from her perfect lips. A shocked Saiyan Prince stared after her as she wildly ran in search for sanctuary, briefly reminding him of a wild animal. Vegeta licked his lips as a naughty thought entered his brain. She could be the best hunt he ever went on.WAIT! Vegeta caught himself thinking of her as he would a potential mate! She was alien and although he found her more than attractive, he could not engage in the ritual mating practices with anyone but an elite Sayain female warrior. Hell, the past kings over the last 1,000 years or so hadn't even taken mates, only establishing heirs through selective genetic programming. It would be scandalous enough for him to mate, but an alien queen would be unthinkable!  
  
Vegeta strolled leisurely in the direction the onna had gone, a ponderous look on his normally scowling or smirking face. He wanted this alien, and already he wasn't sure if it was just her body, or all of her. It was so ridiculous though! He had known her for a day and already his mating instincts were slipping dangerous thoughts past his normally impeccable sense of control. If he had never seen this onna the long-lost Kakkarott referred to as "Bulma", the idea of being attracted to anything besides Sayian would have disgusted him. Now, however, Vegeta couldn't picture anything more gorgeous. And, he decided, it wasn't just her exotic coloring or graceful curves, but the way her personality seemed to radiate off her. Confidence, intelligence, fiery temper, even her sensitivity and sensibility shone through her eyes and body language. His culture was a reserved one, only acknowledging emotions in rare occasions, usually only between mates. Despite his lack of experience with "feelings" the onna seemed to be an open book of passion, anger, joy, and sadness. The Prince's heightened sense of telepathy was picking up empathetic waves from her and his mind had been reeling from first meeting her with multiple and confusing emotions. She was open and ardent, and yet still deep and complicated.  
  
At this point in Vegeta's reverie, the warrior had reached Bulma's laboratory door and he could hear the rampage going on within. With an uncharacteristic sense of patience, Prince Vegeta leaned up against the wall next to the door, waiting for the chaos to end. The cold Saiyan noticed with a large smirk on his face, that the onna was radiating signals of some of the most intense anger he had ever felt. And he had been many places in the universe, encountering beings held thrall to rage as they witnessed the brutal murders of friends and family. Oh yes, he would greatly enjoy igniting her temper over the next two years.  
  
Bulma collapsed on the sterilized concrete floor of her lab amongst the casualties of her tirade, utterly spent of all aggression. That had been.therapeutic to some degree. But as she gazed at the wreckage and realized how costly her tantrum had been, she reflected, "I can NOT afford to do that again for awhile. Kami, this will take months to reconstruct!" She silently offered up a prayer of thanks to the Guardian of Chikyuu that the only projects she kept in here were her own personal creations and not anything vital to the company. "Although some of the designs and prototypes could have made millions when later reworked and finalized," she glumly admitted.  
Bulma rested her overheated body on the floor, allowing the concrete to cool her skin. As she physically cooled down, her temper also diminished. Wow, how had she allowed herself to get so totally out of control? It was the "agreement" she admitted to herself. When the fairly spoiled heiress and independent modern woman had heard the two men bartering her like a prized pig, something inside of her snapped. That arrogant Prince's face and voice had only made it worse, looking down his nose at her and not even bothering to speak to her as an individual. She had screamed and kicked in desperation; any reaction would have been better than the cold shoulder she had received. It was her own damn future anyway! Maybe if that stupid monkey had actually ASKED she might have said yes. But instead of extending some sort of simple courtesy, he had attacked her, ordered her around, and then essentially bought her like a slave. It really was a pity he had proved to be so domineering and egotistical. His physique was that of a god and his stare was penetrating and mysterious.  
  
A sudden spontaneity then took hold of Bulma, despite her weary frame, and she pulled herself up off the floor and exited the lab in search the alien warrior. She was not five feet from her door when a sudden deep voice from behind her startled her.  
  
"Where are you going Onna?" the Prince rumbled.  
"Ahhh!.oh it's you." Bulma turned quickly around and in the quickly fading light saw it was the Saiyan prince.  
"You know.I don't even know your name," she said in a neutral tone. Vegeta was a little surprised by the sudden subject and her attitude. He knew she had been venting her frustration over the past hour, but he had at least expected her to reserve some frustration for him in person. She had delivered her statement in an even tone, no civility, but no hint of sarcasm either. He looked swiftly into her eyes, and there saw swirl of emotions. Sadness, frustration, curiosity regarding him, and maybe even a hint of..excitement? That was odd.  
"You SHOULD refer to me as Your Highness, but my birth name is Vegeta. Now Onna, answer my question. Where are you going?"  
"Hmmph," Bulma's nose turned up slightly higher in the air and her thin aqua eyebrows turned down in disapproval. "Well Vegeta, until you start calling me Miss Bulma Briefs instead of Onna I will continue to repay you with the same respect you have so far shown me."  
  
Vegeta was so far intrigued by her witticism, yet disturbed by her fowardness. No one had ever gotten away with calling him by just his first name before without a respectful title. She was only an alien weakling and no warrior. He should punish her for her insolence, but not only was he bound by honor to protect the onna, but also his own interests. He would have to teach her the proper behavior soon, but tonight he would let it slide. He had other goals in mind, and two years lay ahead of him, time enough for discipline.  
"Onna from this moment on you are my scientist, a servant position and you would do well to learn respect before I lose my temper. You should be thankful I am in such a forgiving mood at the moment. Now do not make me ask my question again."  
  
Bulma had carefully scrutinized Vegeta while he in turn did the same to her. He was a mask, revealing nothing of his thoughts or emotions. But for some odd reason, Bulma felt an affinity with the Saiyan; she could almost see the cogs and wheels turning in his brain as he stared at her. Perhaps because she had often done the same when encountering someone new. Because of her scientific mind, Bulma used reason and deduction in almost all aspects of life, analyzing everything that came her way. She imagined the Prince doing the same thing to her, carefully weighing her words and body language. She suddenly felt amazingly attracted to the man. So far his personality was an enigma, yet his own features and manner screamed charisma and personal magnetism. He seemed, however, unaware of it because the unreadable mask that was his face and direct, often uncivil way of conversing revealed he was anti-social and introverted. Bulma briefly realized this described herself as well. She was a loner on a pedestal, her brilliant mind alienating herself from others.  
  
"Actually I was going off in search of you Vegeta-sama," Bulma complied. With a small look of surprise in the Prince's eyes, Bulma knew she had achieved her goal of throwing the Saiyan's analysis into confusion. But she was also tired, and a verbal spar over civility and who deserved more of it seemed too daunting to attempt at the moment. Bulma would exact her revenge on the Prince later, but now was not the time. She instead decided to follow her instincts and be brutally honest with the man.  
"I have decided that I have been in need of an adventure and a trip into outer space is not wholly disagreeable with me. I will therefor repair your ship and prepare to leave with you by the end of this week, or the latest, by the middle of the next."  
All Vegeta could do was stare. She was bizarre that was for sure. He had never seen such extreme mood swings.  
"If you follow me, I'll show you to the kitchen were you can grab a bite to eat, as well as a room you can sleep in while you are here." And with that, Bulma stepped forward with a befuddled Saiyan warrior behind her although his training did him justice and he appeared as cocky and self- assured, with a decidable layer of moodiness, as ever. 


	8. Chapter 8

Diclaimer: I don't own DBZ  
  
A/N: Well after a long sabbatical, I'm back, at least for the time being. I had serious thoughts of abandoning this story, but after reviewing what I've written so far, I confess the plot has grown on me. Keep reviewing and tell me if you think I'm on the right track or wasting my time. Oh and I just noticed that there is a continuity mistake in the story. If Vegeta really is 21, Goku would still be a teen and therefore too young to have Gohan. Unfortunately, the mistake is already in print so to speak and I don't feel like editing it out. I had my heart set on having the B/V couple younger. Hope you all forgive me and accept that in this A/U Goku is about the same age as our hero, Vegeta.  
  
As twilight approached, Goku slowly flew home after the long battle with the Saiyan warrior, his head filled with worries. He was usually a carefree individual, but at that moment, all he could dwell on was his failure to protect his friend. He had failed Bulma, and even though he was sure the Prince would keep his word and not hurt her physically, he could only imagine what emotional and physiological damage he could do to her if he tried. Goku loved to believe that anyone could change if they wanted to, Piccolo's cold heart was slowly melting, but he also knew how to assess a potential threat and he'd seen enough maliciousness in the foreigner to cause him worry. What Goku failed to see however, was the appreciative and admiring glint in the Prince's eye whenever he looked at Bulma. He had only seen the fierce warrior engaged in battle. The thought of his long-time friend Bulma suffering at that man's hands strengthened Goku's resolve. He would train hard during the next two years so that if anything happened to her, or the alien refused to return her, he would be able to make up for his shortcomings in battle earlier in the day. In the meantime, he would stay close to Capsule Coorporation to make sure Bulma and her parents stayed safe from their unusual houseguest. As Goku traveled closer to his destination, he could smell the wonderful aroma of Chi Chi's cooking. For the moment, all concern left him and he increased his speed, a handsome smile gracing his face, making him look boyish again.  
  
Bulma typed in the security code for the kitchen door to her home that she shared with her parents and quietly led Vegeta through the dark room. She quickly turned on the light switch and pointed at one of the chairs at the kitchen table. The Prince raised an eyebrow at her silent command and was about to retort that she would not order him about so, when he noticed her pulling food items out of a machine and putting them on a counter to prepare them. Vegeta settled to only growl in her direction and then took a seat and waited for his meal.  
  
Bulma was secretly amazed at herself for deciding to be civil with the Sayain, but she was still physically and emotionally tired from the long day and the tantrum she threw in her lab. She had used up all her rage for the moment, and the only thing left was a looming sense of dread and sadness. She hadn't really though about it until that moment, but she would be leaving her family, friends, work, and home to become some sort of servant for an alien megalomaniac. Bulma stood at the counter, with her back to Vegeta quietly making a mountain of sandwiches, her shoulders slumped in defeat and her eyes slowly filling with tears.  
  
Vegeta could tell the onna was upset, and was quite baffled by her range of emotions, and her freedom in expressing them. It seemed so foreign to him to wear one's thoughts and feelings on one's sleeve. His culture scorned such displays, demanding instead discipline and control. As he watched her form slump somewhat, however, he began to realize her emotions were a part of her charm. He had never felt so intrigued and aroused as when he had watched her thrash with rage in his arms earlier that day. Her evident sadness now seemed equally attractive, although a little more unsettling. She was beautiful no matter what expression graced her features, but despair was an emotion more alien to him than anger. He wasn't sure how to respond to her. He couldn't ignore it for much longer; she appeared to be on the verge of breaking down in tears. In the end, Vegeta decided he should try to shake her out of her moodiness. Of course, comfort wasn't a first or even third option in his mind, but instead he said in a condescending tone, "WENCH! Isn't my food ready yet? Stop dawdling and bring it here!"  
  
Bulma instantly stiffened at his words and whirled around in a flash of blue, her eyes snapping furiously. She gave him a glare that clearly told him what he could do with his food once he got it. Vegeta smirked at her expression. She looked so desirable right now, and it was fun harassing her. She was definitely more interesting angry.  
  
"Look you stupid ape, I am making you food as a favor, NOT because I am some sort of servant!"  
"Oh but you ARE my servant starting this week. You will learn to do my bidding and fulfill my every whim. From this point on you are MINE, onna, for the next two years!" Vegeta replied with satisfaction in his voice and an even bigger smirk on his face.  
  
Instead of enraging the onna further as Vegeta intended, the fire in Bulma's eyes went out, and her form crumpled. Vegeta was taken aback as he saw the woman's shoulders shake and her hands clench and unclench her shirt. He hadn't intended to upset the onna, only provoke that delicious rage of hers again. So why didn't she lash out at him again? In the very back of his mind a little voice whispered guilty and remorseful thoughts to him, reminding himself of his own pride and honor and how similarly important the onna's was to her. That like her, he balked at being told what to do. He was to her right now what his father was to him. Vegeta quickly crushed the voice, but not before it had a small effect on him.  
  
Vegeta rose out of his chair and took a few steps toward Bulma. He placed two fingers under her chin and slowly lifted her head to meet his cold, impenetrable gaze. Bulma looked into his dark eyes, her own filling with bitter tears, but revealing little of the pain she was experiencing. She resolved herself that this would be the last time he saw her weak and vulnerable.  
  
"Listen onna," Vegeta spoke in a stern voice, his expression unreadable and intimidating, "Make no mistake that you ARE my servant. I will expect you to pay me respect and not try to escape while you're in my service. But you are not a slave or a whore and so I will pay you.some.respect as well. So stop this weeping! It's so weak and pathetic! Now hurry and finish making my food and then go to sleep! I expect you to be up early in the morning, working on my ship so we can get off this hell-hole planet. I have revenge to exact and I will not be patient with you for long!"  
  
A myriad of emotions swept through Bulma during the Prince's short speech. She was observant enough to recognize he was trying to offer her a sliver of comfort, even though he would never have called his actions that. Even though she thought it was the weakest and most arrogant 'apology' she'd ever received, it did soothe her bitterness. He was obviously a proud man, and said he was royalty and therefore unaccustomed to humbling himself in order to comfort another. She felt appreciation warming her blood somewhat. She was also amazed that he had admitted that she would not be his slave and that he would give her some respect. Obviously though, respect didn't include a cessation of verbal abuse, but she rather suspected it meant she would never be violated or forced to do much of anything against her will. He just wanted her to fix his ship and go with him in case anything else broke along the way. Well she supposed she could handle that. Even though the speech ended in a variety of insults and orders, Bulma only became slightly irritated. She had too much on her mind now to rise to his bait. All she wanted to do was go to bed and not think anymore. In the morning she would have to try to explain the presence of an alien in her house to her parents and friends, and then try to tell them she'd be leaving with the rude bastard for the next two years. No, she definitely didn't want to think about that.  
  
Without saying anything to the Prince, Bulma merely turned back around and quickly finished making his sandwiches and sat down to eat one of her own. This caused a curious look to pass over Vegeta's face, but he didn't say anything else. The Sayain took his large stack of sandwiches and sat opposite her to eat them. After fifteen minutes of silent chewing, the duo finished their meal.  
  
Bulma stood up and said, "Follow me upstairs and I'll show you where you can sleep tonight." Vegeta nodded his head and followed her closely up a staircase and down an expansive hallway. Bulma pointed out a guest bedroom and showed him how everything worked in the bathroom.  
  
"Hmph, this is adequate onna," stated the ever-proud Prince, "Where will you be staying?" He questioned.  
  
"Not that it's any of your business monkey-man, but my room is at the end of the hall. I suppose you won't hesitate to knock if something goes wrong, but I'm not promising to help you. After all you DID tell me rather pointedly to be up early in the morning, and a beautiful genius has to have her sleep,"  
  
Vegeta smirked at this and replied, "Well I won't feel bad about bothering you in the middle of the night then. I promise to let the beautiful genius sleep instead. Now which room is she in? I want to make sure I don't accidentally wake her from her much needed sleep." Vegeta mockingly looked up and down the hall as if hoping to catch a glance of the famous intelligent beauty.  
  
Bulma's blood ran boiling hot through her body and her eyes seemed to roar with unchecked blue flames. If the genius had a serious character flaw, she was as vain as a peacock. The tired woman found one more burst of strength in her body, fueled by a surge of adrenaline and lunged at the widely smirking Prince, her hands extended and ready to rip him to pieces.  
  
Vegeta caught the snarling woman and pinned her wrists behind her back rendering her helpless, but no less calm. The Saiyan took one look at the furious expression on the onna's face and let out a short bark of unaffected laughter. She was ravishing. A hint of amusement crept into Vegeta's eyes and he pulled the woman a bit closer into his arms.  
  
"Now now, onna," Vegeta spoke with a hint of gravelly huskiness to his voice, "We've only just met! Don't you think this is moving too fast?" he asked sarcastically but all the while pulling her closer and stroking her arms while he held them behind her.  
  
Bulma wasn't so far gone in her anger to not be aware of what Vegeta was saying and doing with his hands. She stopped thrashing and her eyes widened to plate size. She suddenly stiffened in the Prince's arms, frozen like a deer in headlights.  
"Wha.what are you doing?" stuttered a confused Bulma. Her mind was reeling, but she couldn't focus on one coherent thought. The only thing her shocked brain could latch onto was the incredibly good feeling flowing through her body and a series of pleasurable shivers running up and down her spine. Her eyes were drawn to the Prince's dark ones that at first seemed so cold, but upon closer inspection, appeared to barely reveal hints of amusement and maybe a little.. excitement?! His breathing HAD increased slightly. She could feel his chest moving in and out, brushing against her own, heightening the experience of being held captive by the dark, sexy, irresistible...NO! Bad thoughts! He may be the embodiment of every dark sexual fantasy she had ever had, but he was also bossy, arrogant, egotistic, and domineering. Not to mention he happened to be forcing her into captivity! She desperately tried to control her raging hormones as Vegeta's face loomed close to her long, ivory neck.  
  
Vegeta could smell the first hints of female arousal and he couldn't decide if he was in heaven or hell. Surely he couldn't experience greater bliss than in the arms of this beautiful woman. But then again, he could feel her insecurity as well and knew she would not be a willing partner in any further 'activities'. He could smell and feel her beauty, but was denied further pleasure. Torture, pure torture. Despite what the lower half of his body was telling him about the onna, Vegeta had no real intentions of taking her tonight anyway. In the long run he didn't need a female and the feelings she was inspiring deep within him were starting to frighten him. Emotional involvement could only equal weakness, and he shunned weakness.  
  
Fairly reluctantly, Vegeta made up his mind to end the sexual tension. Before Bulma had time to react, Vegeta and gently but insistently pushed her away and was closing the door. When it was just open a mere crack, the Prince said, "Goodnight Onna," and shut the door.  
  
Bulma stood in the doorway stunned for a minute. Had she just been toyed with?!  
  
"AAAHHHHGGGGHH!" Bulma let out a frustrated and indignant yell and then stormed down the hall to her lavish bedroom. That creep! He must think he has an almighty power over women, capable of seducing any female in the universe! She couldn't believe his ego. Well she wouldn't fall for that one again! She would be nothing but cold and frigid while around him, devoid of all sexual feeling. He wouldn't affect her so again!  
  
Bulma flopped exhaustedly onto her comfy king-sized bed, allowing the tears to flow freely. Never had she ever had a more confusing, frustrating, dramatic day. With all her will power spent the young genius quietly cried herself to sleep.  
  
A/N: YES! I'm done!!! Hope you guys liked it. I actually enjoyed writing this one very much. Anything with V/B interaction makes for good entertainment. Please review and tell me if you think this story could go places! 


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